Paiute Indians

There are only three requirements for enrollment in the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians of the Fort Independence Reservation.

Section 1:

The membership of the Fort Independence Community shall consist of:

Enrollment requirements of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation requires members to live on the reservation at least one year out of three and also requires a blood quantum of at least 1/4 Paiute or Shoshone ancestry.

  SECTION 1.
The membership of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe shall consist of–

(a)  All original allottees at Fort McDermitt, and such of their descendants  as do now maintain a bona-fide residence on the former Fort McDermitt  Military Reserve.

(b)  Every child of one-fourth or more Indian blood both of whose parents are members of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone.

SECTION 2.
The Tribal Council shall have the power, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members, to admit to tribal membership:

(a)  Any person of one-quarter or more Paiute or Shoshone Indian blood.

(b)  Any person of one-half or more Indian blood married to a member of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe.

SECTION 3.

(a)  The Tribal Council shall cancel the membership of any adult person who makes application to sever his tribal relations, and thereafter  such person shall cease to hold membership in the tribe.

(b)  The Tribal Council may by a two-thirds vote cancel the membership of any person who has not lived within the jurisdiction of the tribe for at least 1 year during the preceding 3 years, provided that this             power shall become effective 1 year after the adoption and ratification of this constitution.

The Enrollment Office oversees the tribal enrollment rolls of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation by keeping enrollment records of tribal members current and accurate.

Section 601 OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP ROLL

Any person listed on the Base Roll designated above in Section 501 is entitled to membership. (official census roll as of January 1, 1935)

Section 602 CORRECTION OF BASE ROLL

Any person qualified to have been listed on the Base Roll is entitled to membership. The standards for testing whether an applicant is qualified to have been listed on the official census roll as of January 1, 1935; and therefore to have been listed on the Base Roll, are expressly not determined by this Ordinance, but shall be left to the discretion of the Business Council.

Section 603 CHILDREN OF MEMBERS

Any person who is the natural child of any party who is a member, or entitled to be a member under any other provision of this act, is eligible for membership; without regard to degree of Indian blood if said person was born before May 20, 1966. 

Section 604 BLOOD QUANTUM QUALIFICATION

Any person born after May 20, 1966, who is the natural child of any party who is a member or eligible to be a member under any other provision of this act, is eligible for membership if said person has at least one-quarter (1/4) Shoshone and/or Paiute Indian blood inherited from someone listed on or qualified to be listed on the Base Roll designated in Section 501 above.

Section 605 PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED MEMBERS

Any Indian who was adopted into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes under that membership ordinance approved March 15, 1961, or any other adoption procedure at any other time from January 1, 1935, to the date of approval of this Ordinance, is eligible for enrollment as an enrolled member upon proof:

605-1 That the adoption procedures were substantially complied with and

605-2 that there was some recognition of such adoption by the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. This section does not apply to persons who have received honorary membership at any earlier time under any standards inconsistent with the intent of this act to preserve the degree of Indian blood of members.

Persons enrolled under this section qualify to have their children enrolled under Section 603.

Section 606 DISQUALIFICATION BECAUSE OF OTHER MEMBERSHIP

No person, even though qualifying for membership under Section 601-605 above, shall be eligible for membership:

606-1 If such person has been allotted land or possesses an assignment of land on any other Indian Reservation or Colony (this does not include purchased allotments or lands of any type acquired by inheritance), or

606-2 who is enrolled with any other Indian group.

Section 607 ADOPTION AS FULL-MEMBER

Any person of at least one-half (1/2) Indian blood from whatever source may apply for adoption into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes as a member. Application shall be made to the Enrollment Committee in the same manner as enrollment applications. A strong showing of close ties with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes must be made. Adoption is a matter of discretion with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes and not a matter of right.Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote, the Enrollment Committee shall recommend adoption to the Business Council who may by two thirds (2)3) vote in favor to adopt the applicant There is no right of appeal beyond the Business Council on adoption.

Section 608 HONORARY MEMBERS

The Business Council in its discretion may declare honorary membership by two-thirds (2/3) vote. Such memberships are ceremonial only, and shall not carry entitlement to any tribal rights, privileges, resources, property or voting rights, or others not mentioned. There shall be a list of honorary members kept separately from the enrollment list.

enrollment application

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